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The Hindu
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
‘Innovations, creativity among youth key factors to promote climate action'
Innovations, creativity and digital fluency among the youth were the key factors to promote environmental and climate action, which could ensure sustainability and pave the way for 'green growth', experts said at conference on 'youth sustainability' here on Monday (July 21, 2025). The event formed part of a campaign for involving youth in the action to control climate change. The experts described the youth as not just the leaders of tomorrow, but as the 'solution providers of today', while calling upon them to adopt a shared vision of green economy. An environmentally sustainable economy could be evolved with proper resource management, collaborations and upskilling. Water conservationist and Magsaysay Award winner Rajendra Singh said the challenges of climate urgency had produced opportunities to learn the use of indigenous knowledge systems. 'Communities equipped with local wisdom can conserve water and revive the dry and dead rivers,' Mr. Singh said. Highlighting the role of Tarun Bharat Sangh, established by him, in the revival of Arvari river in Alwar district with the construction of small check dams, Mr. Singh said the adoption of prudent agricultural practices would make the ecosystem healthy and mitigate the impact of climate change. Haridev Joshi University of Journalism Vice-Chancellor Sudhi Rajiv said the individual and collective action of the youth could help improve environmental outcomes, even as the educational institutions could function as 'living laboratories' for sustainability. Rajasthan Chamber of Commerce and Industry president K.L. Jain said the industries must not merely be engines of growth, but they should become champions of green innovation. 'The sectors such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, sustainable agriculture and circular economy will be at the forefront of India's transition into a green economy in the next ten years,' he said. Experts addressing the sessions on youth-industry synergy, digital narratives, and harnessing communication said the energy of youth and the experience and resources of industry should be brought together to create a green, inclusive and resilient economy. To bridge the gap between the academia and the industry on climate action, the steps suggested by the speakers included co-creation of curriculum, encouraging apprenticeships and on-field exposure, supporting research and development collaborations, developing centres of excellence and incentivising startups and innovation labs. The campaign for climate action has been taken up under the aegis of Jaipur-based Lok Samvad Sansthan (LSS) and New Delhi-based Sustainability Karma. LSS secretary Kalyan Singh Kothari said the youth were being encouraged to produce contents to sensitise the people on the challenges of environmental degradation and promote sustainable living.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
In Chambal, ex-dacoits' wives turn water warriors to battle drought
KARAULI (RAJASTHAN): Until about 15 years ago, Sampatti Devi and many women like her in Rajasthan's Karauli district lived in constant fear, dreading the day their husbands might not return home. Repeated droughts, driven in part by declining rainfall linked to climate change, had turned their lands barren. Water sources dried up, crippling agriculture and animal husbandry, the lifeblood of their livelihood. With no other way to survive, many men were forced into dacoity, hiding in jungles and risking their lives every day to evade police. Karauli's average annual rainfall dropped from 722.1mm (1951-2000) to 563.94mm (2001-2011), according to govt data. But in the 2010s, something remarkable happened. The women, weary of fear and despair, resolved to reclaim their lives. They convinced their husbands to come out of the jungles and give up arms. Together, they began reviving old, dried-up ponds and constructing new pokhars (water bodies) with the help of Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS), an Alwar-based NGO dedicated to water conservation since 1975. "I would have been dead by now. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 40대 이상이세요? 한 번 시작하면 멈출 수 없어요. 준비되셨나요? Sea of Conquest 플레이하기 Undo She convinced me to come back and start farming again," recalled Jagdish, Sampatti's husband, now 58, who surrendered his weapons and chose peace. Pooling every penny earned over the years by selling milk, they built a pokhar at the base of a hill near their village, Alampur, in 2015-16. When the rains came, the pokhar was filled and for the first time in years, their family had enough water to sustain them for a longer period. "Now, we grow mustard, wheat, pearl millet and vegetables," says Sampatti, sitting proudly on the pokhar's embankment. She even rents it out for water chestnut cultivation, earning about Rs 1 lakh each season. Over the years, TBS and the local community have together built 16 such pokhars in the forest surrounding the village and around 500 across district, each capturing runoff from the slopes, preventing droughts and floods. Karauli, once among Rajasthan's worst-hit dacoit areas, witnessed a transformation. The district is part of Chambal region, which extends across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It has historically been notorious for dacoity due to its rugged terrain, ravines and forests that provided hideouts for dacoits. "With community-led conservation efforts, stability is returning," said Karauli SP Brijesh Jyoti Upadhyay. He said rainfall in the region is erratic and leads to periods of both water scarcity and intense short-term downpours. "Karauli faces droughts during dry times and flash floods when it rains heavily, like last year, when the monsoon brought over 1,900 mm of rain." Sumit Dookia, an associate professor at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University & a native of Rajasthan, said the rocky terrain makes water run off quickly and stops it from soaking into the ground. "With all this going on, smart water management is really important." The wave of conservation in Karauli has transformed Serni, once a seasonal river, into a perennial one. Just a decade ago, the river would run dry after Diwali, leaving people desperate for water. "Now, it holds water even at the peak of summer, thanks to around 150 water harvesting structures constructed along its entire length and breadth. The groundwater level has risen to just 5 to 10 feet below the surface," said TBS' Ranveer Singh. Forty years ago, he said, the river flowed all year round, but overuse and climate change had left it dry. With no options left, some men migrated to cities in search of work while others turned to mining or dacoity. "Illegal mining exposed them to lethal silica dust, causing silicosis, a painful and incurable lung disease. Many did not live past 40," said Rajendra Singh, a Magsaysay Award and Stockholm Water Prize-winning water conservationist who leads TBS. A 2013 study by National Institute of Miners' Health found that 74% of surveyed sandstone workers in Karauli suffered from silicosis. Now, on a scorching May afternoon, water shimmers in Karauli's ponds and pokhars. Serni river flows gently, with children splashing and cattle grazing along its banks. "A decade ago, no one would have imagined this. But our women made this possible!" said Ranveer.
The Print
25-05-2025
- General
- The Print
In Rajasthan's Chambal, wives of ex-dacoits lead revival of water sources and hope
With no other way to survive, many men were forced into dacoity, hiding in jungles and risking their lives every day to evade police. Karauli's average annual rainfall dropped from 722.1 mm (1951-2000) to 563.94 mm (2001-2011), according to government data. Repeated droughts, driven in part by declining rainfall linked to climate change, had turned their lands barren. Water sources dried up, crippling agriculture and animal husbandry, the lifeblood of their livelihood. Karauli (Rajasthan), May 25 (PTI) Until about 15 years ago, Sampatti Devi and many women like her in Rajasthan's Karauli district lived in constant fear, dreading the day their husbands might not return home. But in the 2010s, something remarkable happened. The women, weary of fear and despair, resolved to reclaim their lives. They convinced their husbands to come out of the jungles and give up arms. Together, they began reviving old, dried-up ponds and constructing new pokhars (water bodies) with the help of Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS), an Alwar-based NGO dedicated to water conservation since 1975. 'I would have been dead by now. She convinced me to come back and start farming again,' recalled Jagdish, Sampatti Devi's husband, now 58, who surrendered his weapons and chose peace. Pooling every penny earned over the years by selling milk, they built a pokhar at the base of a hill near their village, Alampur, in 2015-16. When the rains came, the 'pokhar' was filled and for the first time in years, their family had water, enough to sustain them for a longer period. 'Now, we grow mustard, wheat, pearl millet and vegetables,' says Sampatti Devi, sitting proudly on the pokhar's embankment. She even rents it out for water chestnut cultivation, earning about Rs 1 lakh each season. Over the years, TBS and the local community have together built 16 such pokhars in the forest surrounding the village and around 500 across the entire district, each capturing runoff from the slopes. Karauli, once among Rajasthan's worst-hit dacoit areas, witnessed a transformation. Karauli district is part of the Chambal region, which extends across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It has historically been notorious for dacoity due to its rugged terrain, ravines and forests that provided hideouts for dacoits. 'With community-led conservation efforts, stability is returning,' said Karauli Superintendent of Police Brijesh Jyoti Upadhyay. He says rainfall in the region is erratic and leads to periods of both water scarcity and intense short-term downpours. 'Karauli faces droughts during dry times and flash floods when it rains heavily, like last year, when the monsoon brought over 1,900 mm of rain.' Sumit Dookia, an associate professor at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and a native of Rajasthan, said the rocky terrain makes water run off quickly and stops much of it from soaking into the ground. 'With all this going on, smart water management is really important.' The wave of conservation in Karauli has transformed the Serni, once a seasonal river, into a perennial one. Just a decade ago, the river would run dry after Diwali, leaving people desperate for water. 'Now, the river holds water even at the peak of summer, thanks to around 150 water harvesting structures constructed along its entire length and breadth. The groundwater level has risen to just 5 to 10 feet below the surface,' said Ranveer Singh from TBS. Forty years ago, he said, the river flowed all year round, but overuse and climate change had left it dry. With no options left, some men migrated to cities in search of work while others turned to mining or dacoity. 'Illegal mining exposed them to lethal silica dust, causing silicosis, a painful and incurable lung disease. Many did not live past 40,' said Rajendra Singh, the Magsaysay Award and Stockholm Water Prize-winning water conservationist who leads TBS. A 2013 study by the National Institute of Miners' Health (now part of ICMR-NIOH) found that 74 per cent of surveyed sandstone workers in Karauli suffered from silicosis. Water scarcity even disrupted marriage decisions. Families of prospective brides avoided sending daughters to this parched land while poverty forced many Karauli parents to marry off their daughters early, Rajendra Singh said. In Bhoorkheda village, where many families once felt forced to marry off their daughters early under the heavy burden of financial hardship, 55-year-old Prem, a woman married to a former dacoit, made a courageous sacrifice. She gave up four bighas of her own land to build a pokhar on the village's edge. She beams with pride as she shares how the pond now brings water to grow wheat and pearl millet, nourishing the families of her village. 'Though I do not have much to offer, I am content knowing that people can grow crops and have enough to eat,' she said. Lajja Ram, 60, also from Bhoorkheda, admitted he turned to dacoity out of desperation. 'My father was a farmer. There was enough water in his time. But as I grew up, rainfall declined, wells dried up and farming became impossible. We were lucky to produce even two to four manns (80-160 kg) per bigha. Our cattle died, and we felt like we were next,' said Lajja Ram, who once faced 40 criminal cases. It was his sister who finally persuaded him to surrender and join water conservation efforts. Now, they grow wheat, mustard, chickpea and pearl millet on their 10 bighas of land, own eight buffalos, several goats and have enough to eat. 'Ab anand hai (Now, there is happiness),' he says. In Arora village, 70-year-old folk singer Siyaram remembers when rains failed, crops withered and children wept from hunger. His 30 bighas of land lay parched and his sons migrated to cities. His wife, Prem Devi, who passed away two years ago, had inspired him to join the water conservation efforts. Siyaram sings of that time: 'Paani ki dori hath nahi, tum chaho to barsat nahi. Paani ki ajab kahani hai. Ab bhai khuwari bin paani hai. (You cannot control rain; it won't come when you wish. Water's story is strange. Now brother, the land is barren without water).' Today, Siyaram sings a song of hope. 'Paani hi jeevan ka saathi, paani bin mar jaye haathi. Sun lo dada, bhai, naati… mil jayega dhan ratan, agar hum paani rokne ka karein jatan. (Water is life's companion. Without it, even the elephant dies. Listen, elders, brother, nephew… We will find treasure if we work to conserve water).' On a scorching May afternoon, water shimmers in Karauli's ponds and pokhars. The Serni river flows gently, with children splashing and cattle grazing along its banks. 'A decade ago, no one would have imagined this. Our women made this possible!' said Ranveer Singh. PTI GVS DIV DIV This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
In Rajasthan's Chambal, wives of ex-dacoits lead revival of water sources and hope
Until about 15 years ago, Sampatti Devi and many women like her in Rajasthan 's Karauli district lived in constant fear, dreading the day their husbands might not return home. Repeated droughts, driven in part by declining rainfall linked to climate change, had turned their lands barren. Water sources dried up, crippling agriculture and animal husbandry, the lifeblood of their livelihood. With no other way to survive, many men were forced into dacoity, hiding in jungles and risking their lives every day to evade police. Karauli's average annual rainfall dropped from 722.1 mm (1951-2000) to 563.94 mm (2001-2011), according to government data. But in the 2010s, something remarkable happened. The women, weary of fear and despair, resolved to reclaim their lives. They convinced their husbands to come out of the jungles and give up arms. Together, they began reviving old, dried-up ponds and constructing new pokhars (water bodies) with the help of Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS), an Alwar-based NGO dedicated to water conservation since 1975. "I would have been dead by now. She convinced me to come back and start farming again," recalled Jagdish, Sampatti Devi's husband, now 58, who surrendered his weapons and chose peace. Live Events Pooling every penny earned over the years by selling milk, they built a pokhar at the base of a hill near their village, Alampur, in 2015-16. When the rains came, the 'pokhar' was filled and for the first time in years, their family had water, enough to sustain them for a longer period. "Now, we grow mustard, wheat, pearl millet and vegetables," says Sampatti Devi, sitting proudly on the pokhar's embankment. She even rents it out for water chestnut cultivation, earning about Rs 1 lakh each season. Over the years, TBS and the local community have together built 16 such pokhars in the forest surrounding the village and around 500 across the entire district, each capturing runoff from the slopes, preventing droughts and floods. Karauli, once among Rajasthan's worst-hit dacoit areas, witnessed a transformation. Karauli district is part of the Chambal region, which extends across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh . It has historically been notorious for dacoity due to its rugged terrain, ravines and forests that provided hideouts for dacoits. "With community-led conservation efforts, stability is returning," said Karauli Superintendent of Police Brijesh Jyoti Upadhyay. He says rainfall in the region is erratic and leads to periods of both water scarcity and intense short-term downpours. "Karauli faces droughts during dry times and flash floods when it rains heavily, like last year, when the monsoon brought over 1,900 mm of rain." Sumit Dookia, an associate professor at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and a native of Rajasthan, said the rocky terrain makes water run off quickly and stops much of it from soaking into the ground. "With all this going on, smart water management is really important." The wave of conservation in Karauli has transformed the Serni, once a seasonal river, into a perennial one. Just a decade ago, the river would run dry after Diwali, leaving people desperate for water. "Now, the river holds water even at the peak of summer, thanks to around 150 water harvesting structures constructed along its entire length and breadth. The groundwater level has risen to just 5 to 10 feet below the surface," said Ranveer Singh from TBS. Forty years ago, he said, the river flowed all year round, but overuse and climate change had left it dry. With no options left, some men migrated to cities in search of work while others turned to mining or dacoity. "Illegal mining exposed them to lethal silica dust, causing silicosis, a painful and incurable lung disease. Many did not live past 40," said Rajendra Singh, the Magsaysay Award and Stockholm Water Prize-winning water conservationist who leads TBS. A 2013 study by the National Institute of Miners' Health (now part of ICMR-NIOH) found that 74 per cent of surveyed sandstone workers in Karauli suffered from silicosis. Water scarcity even disrupted marriage decisions. Families of prospective brides avoided sending daughters to this parched land while poverty forced many Karauli parents to marry off their daughters early, Rajendra Singh said. In Bhoorkheda village, where many families once felt forced to marry off their daughters early under the heavy burden of financial hardship, 55-year-old Prem, a woman married to a former dacoit, made a courageous sacrifice. She gave up four bighas of her own land to build a pokhar on the village's edge. She beams with pride as she shares how the pond now brings water to grow wheat and pearl millet, nourishing the families of her village. "Though I do not have much to offer, I am content knowing that people can grow crops and have enough to eat," she said. Lajja Ram, 60, also from Bhoorkheda, admitted he turned to dacoity out of desperation. "My father was a farmer. There was enough water in his time. But as I grew up, rainfall declined, wells dried up and farming became impossible. We were lucky to produce even two to four manns (80-160 kg) per bigha. Our cattle died, and we felt like we were next," said Lajja Ram, who once faced 40 criminal cases. It was his sister who finally persuaded him to surrender and join water conservation efforts. Now, they grow wheat, mustard, chickpea and pearl millet on their 10 bighas of land, own eight buffalos, several goats and have enough to eat. "Ab anand hai (Now, there is happiness)," he says. In Arora village, 70-year-old folk singer Siyaram remembers when rains failed, crops withered and children wept from hunger. His 30 bighas of land lay parched and his sons migrated to cities. His wife, Prem Devi, who passed away two years ago, had inspired him to join the water conservation efforts. Siyaram sings of that time: "Paani ki dori hath nahi, tum chaho to barsat nahi. Paani ki ajab kahani hai. Ab bhai khuwari bin paani hai. (You cannot control rain; it won't come when you wish. Water's story is strange. Now brother, the land is barren without water)." Today, Siyaram sings a song of hope. "Paani hi jeevan ka saathi, paani bin mar jaye haathi. Sun lo dada, bhai, naati... mil jayega dhan ratan, agar hum paani rokne ka karein jatan. (Water is life's companion. Without it, even the elephant dies. Listen, elders, brother, nephew... We will find treasure if we work to conserve water)." On a scorching May afternoon, water shimmers in Karauli's ponds and pokhars. The Serni river flows gently, with children splashing and cattle grazing along its banks. "A decade ago, no one would have imagined this. Our women made this possible!" said Ranveer Singh.
Hindustan Times
25-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
In Rajasthan's Chambal, wives of ex-dacoits lead revival of water sources and hope
Karauli , Until about 15 years ago, Sampatti Devi and many women like her in Rajasthan's Karauli district lived in constant fear, dreading the day their husbands might not return home. Repeated droughts, driven in part by declining rainfall linked to climate change, had turned their lands barren. Water sources dried up, crippling agriculture and animal husbandry, the lifeblood of their livelihood. With no other way to survive, many men were forced into dacoity, hiding in jungles and risking their lives every day to evade police. Karauli's average annual rainfall dropped from 722.1 mm to 563.94 mm , according to government data. But in the 2010s, something remarkable happened. The women, weary of fear and despair, resolved to reclaim their lives. They convinced their husbands to come out of the jungles and give up arms. Together, they began reviving old, dried-up ponds and constructing new pokhars with the help of Tarun Bharat Sangh , an Alwar-based NGO dedicated to water conservation since 1975. "I would have been dead by now. She convinced me to come back and start farming again," recalled Jagdish, Sampatti Devi's husband, now 58, who surrendered his weapons and chose peace. Pooling every penny earned over the years by selling milk, they built a pokhar at the base of a hill near their village, Alampur, in 2015-16. When the rains came, the 'pokhar' was filled and for the first time in years, their family had water, enough to sustain them for a longer period. "Now, we grow mustard, wheat, pearl millet and vegetables," says Sampatti Devi, sitting proudly on the pokhar's embankment. She even rents it out for water chestnut cultivation, earning about ₹1 lakh each season. Over the years, TBS and the local community have together built 16 such pokhars in the forest surrounding the village and around 500 across the entire district, each capturing runoff from the slopes. Karauli, once among Rajasthan's worst-hit dacoit areas, witnessed a transformation. Karauli district is part of the Chambal region, which extends across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It has historically been notorious for dacoity due to its rugged terrain, ravines and forests that provided hideouts for dacoits. "With community-led conservation efforts, stability is returning," said Karauli Superintendent of Police Brijesh Jyoti Upadhyay. He says rainfall in the region is erratic and leads to periods of both water scarcity and intense short-term downpours. "Karauli faces droughts during dry times and flash floods when it rains heavily, like last year, when the monsoon brought over 1,900 mm of rain." Sumit Dookia, an associate professor at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and a native of Rajasthan, said the rocky terrain makes water run off quickly and stops much of it from soaking into the ground. "With all this going on, smart water management is really important." The wave of conservation in Karauli has transformed the Serni, once a seasonal river, into a perennial one. Just a decade ago, the river would run dry after Diwali, leaving people desperate for water. "Now, the river holds water even at the peak of summer, thanks to around 150 water harvesting structures constructed along its entire length and breadth. The groundwater level has risen to just 5 to 10 feet below the surface," said Ranveer Singh from TBS. Forty years ago, he said, the river flowed all year round, but overuse and climate change had left it dry. With no options left, some men migrated to cities in search of work while others turned to mining or dacoity. "Illegal mining exposed them to lethal silica dust, causing silicosis, a painful and incurable lung disease. Many did not live past 40," said Rajendra Singh, the Magsaysay Award and Stockholm Water Prize-winning water conservationist who leads TBS. A 2013 study by the National Institute of Miners' Health found that 74 per cent of surveyed sandstone workers in Karauli suffered from silicosis. Water scarcity even disrupted marriage decisions. Families of prospective brides avoided sending daughters to this parched land while poverty forced many Karauli parents to marry off their daughters early, Rajendra Singh said. In Bhoorkheda village, where many families once felt forced to marry off their daughters early under the heavy burden of financial hardship, 55-year-old Prem, a woman married to a former dacoit, made a courageous sacrifice. She gave up four bighas of her own land to build a pokhar on the village's edge. She beams with pride as she shares how the pond now brings water to grow wheat and pearl millet, nourishing the families of her village. "Though I do not have much to offer, I am content knowing that people can grow crops and have enough to eat," she said. Lajja Ram, 60, also from Bhoorkheda, admitted he turned to dacoity out of desperation. "My father was a farmer. There was enough water in his time. But as I grew up, rainfall declined, wells dried up and farming became impossible. We were lucky to produce even two to four manns per bigha. Our cattle died, and we felt like we were next," said Lajja Ram, who once faced 40 criminal cases. It was his sister who finally persuaded him to surrender and join water conservation efforts. Now, they grow wheat, mustard, chickpea and pearl millet on their 10 bighas of land, own eight buffalos, several goats and have enough to eat. "Ab anand hai ," he says. In Arora village, 70-year-old folk singer Siyaram remembers when rains failed, crops withered and children wept from hunger. His 30 bighas of land lay parched and his sons migrated to cities. His wife, Prem Devi, who passed away two years ago, had inspired him to join the water conservation efforts. Siyaram sings of that time: "Paani ki dori hath nahi, tum chaho to barsat nahi. Paani ki ajab kahani hai. Ab bhai khuwari bin paani hai. ." Today, Siyaram sings a song of hope. "Paani hi jeevan ka saathi, paani bin mar jaye haathi. Sun lo dada, bhai, naati... mil jayega dhan ratan, agar hum paani rokne ka karein jatan. ." On a scorching May afternoon, water shimmers in Karauli's ponds and pokhars. The Serni river flows gently, with children splashing and cattle grazing along its banks. "A decade ago, no one would have imagined this. Our women made this possible!" said Ranveer Singh.
